The present invention relates in general to metal hydrides and the reaction thereof with silicon halides to produce silane and in particular to the production of silane from highly reactive magnesium hydride.
Magnesium hydride produced by the usual high temperature pressure hydrogenation of magnesium is not very reactive and is generally unsuitable for producing any significant yield of silane when the magnesium hydride is reacted with a silicon halide. There is a need to provide a silane production route which recycles magnesium values so that this valuable commodity is not merely disposed of or otherwise wasted.
Silane is a useful commodity in the production of semiconductor grade silicon by any of various means which recover the silicon by decomposition of the silane.